WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!

This is what you call a dynasty.

#ChampionsTogether

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San Francisco Giants – 2012 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!

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Not too long ago I was a finalist for a very fancy “dream job” for Major League Baseball. They wanted someone who could write well, who would be entertaining on camera, and who lives for baseball. Needless to say, I was a prime candidate even before they received my awesome video. They ended up flying me to New York City for an interview/audition. It was a thrilling experience to be seriously considered from among what they said was over 100,000 applicants.

When they first told me that they would be flying me over to their studios, they randomly asked if I played guitar.

“Um…yeah, actually I do,” I said.

“Bring your guitar,” came the response. “Maybe you can write a baseball song. Because people who like baseball, like songs about baseball.”

And so I sat down and wrote a veeeeeeeery simple 3-chord song about baseball, and the true story of what it was like for me growing up and playing little league.

In the end, I was not selected for the position, which would have required me to move to New York City, and cease writing and doing comic strips until November (yes, it was actually in the contract, I would have had to take a hiatus). So those of you love reading my work every week should probably be happy that I’m still on the West coast, and self employed.

Anyway, my silly little baseball song went over so well with MLB executives, I thought I would animate a cartoon to the music for you, the Raccoon Toons faithful.

And so here it is! The song is called, “This Is Baseball.”

Help a guy out and share it with all your baseball and cartoon loving friends. And for those who asked, the song has been submitted to the iTunes store and will be available there for download shortly.

Hope you enjoy it, it was fun to make.

And for the record, I absolutely nailed my interview/audition. Nailed it.

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This is baseball. It’s not just a game played between a set of white chalk lines on a field. It’s not just a player throwing a ball, or another swinging a bat. It’s history. It’s community. It’s family. It’s generations.

In 1987 I watched my first baseball game with my father. As a transplant to the area, my father had never watched a lot of baseball. But our local team was in the playoffs and he got swept up in the excitement like everyone else. Community. It was the first time I had ever watched a baseball game. Dad explained the rules. 3 strikes, 3 outs, 9 innings, top and bottom. We cheered and we rooted and we watched in dismay when our team lost, ending their season, and ours.

From that moment on, we were rabid fans of the game. But it wasn’t just about the game. It was about our mutual passion for our team. Our love for the game. It was about the time we spent together. Family.

Our team would make the playoffs, and even go to the World Series a couple of times. But every year they would come up just short of winning it all. And Dad was suddenly stricken with cancer, much, much too young.

In the final year of his life, our team would enter the playoffs one last time. I watched each game breathlessly, having fooled myself  into believing that if our team could somehow just keep winning, then maybe Dad could hold on just a little longer. Maybe miracles would happen, both on the field and in our lives. Our team lost in the first round, 3 games to 1 that year. About a month later, Dad was gone. Our team had not been to the post season since.

Before he died, I asked my dad about his loyalty to our team. I asked him when it was that he became a true follower of our franchise, and a fan of the game. “I never watched baseball growing up,” he responded simply. “I just started getting into it because you liked it so much.” That was Dad. That is baseball.

Our team finally won the World Series this year. I wonder if the players have any idea what this means to so many of us. As I watched the game and those final victorious outs, I stood in the same room where I watched my first baseball game with Dad so many years ago, the same room in which he passed away. This time the tears were of joy.

Someday I will have children of my own. I will teach them about the game. I will teach them that there are 3 strikes, 3 outs, 9 innings, top and bottom. I will teach them to be loyal to their team, even when they lose. And they will learn as I did, that baseball is more than just a game. That it’s about communities and families and generations.

Thank you Dad, for the gift of baseball. And thank you baseball, for the gift of my father. I love you both.

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We did it!!!!! WE DID IT!!!!!! San Francisco Giants!!! WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOO!!!!!!

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For the record, I have totally beat Super Mario Bros. in under 15 min, using only 1 life. Yup. I have witnesses. It might be one of my proudest accomplishments in life. And that’s really sad.

Just a little late getting this one up today on account of a massive motherboard fail. Not cool.

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I always think it’s funny when people argue about who’s life is worse. I mean really, when it’s all over, how do you tell who won??

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It is entirely possible that baseball will be the death of me. In fact, I fully expect baseball to be the death of me. One day, I’ll just be sitting there, watching a ballgame, when things will get so intense for better or for worse, and -plop!- I’ll just drop dead. It’s entirely plausible. Not only that, but baseball is more than likely causing me to age rapidly, thus taking years off of my life. My Giants needs to win the World Series soon, because at this rate, I’ll probably die prematurely. It’s still worth it of course, but I should probably find some meds or something. I fully expect to be that old guy in the rest home who has lost his sanity and is spewing random play by plays while yelling obscenities at imaginary Dodger players. I’m alright with that. Just wheel a TV in front of me when it’s game time.

Spring training just started. Heck yes.

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